Part 54: Bomb Materials Retrieval

DSJ PV

Alright, so first off: very, VERY recently Atlus decided to announce a 3DS remake of this game called Strange D3EP Journey (read: Deep Strange Journey). It contains a new character named Alex who has her own new ending, she wants to do a murder on the main character for the crime of Being In The Schwarzwelt and is totally definitely not going to be Marie, again, honest.

End

So, let's go back to our normal, regularly scheduled programming...



Our third and final run begins with the hero of the heart, the coolest kid in town and Professor Layton's third assistant in the making, I am sure.

Also a former classmate of Richard Appel, one of the writers of the Simpsons.

Both Langdon and Lance are shown as names in the US manual. Atlus kind of has a fondness for that, you may notice. In many English previews for things like Etrian Odyssey, characters are often named after characters from popular webcomics for example.



So, Langdon's Demonica is going to be determined by the last simple pattern. Gonna select the bottom option every ti--



Oh. Uhh, that's pretty bad!

St: 19%
Ma: 20%
Vi: 18%
Ag: 24%
Lu: 19%

Is the Speed Demonica's growth, so we're gonna reload and try ahain.



This time, we select answers 3-1-3-2-1 in that order and that gives us...



Technical is vague but this is the Magic Demonica.

St: 19%
Ma: 24%
Vi: 19%
Ag: 20%
Lu: 18%



Vitality is just plain bad so I won't humor that one at all. It exists, it's shit, moving on.



We have a bunch of Special Passwords to try out as soon as we can (which is immediately).



These give very specific, very special "demons". They're replica Demonicas that are sentient! They even come with Gun skills that are normally Hitonari exclusive, oddly enough.



Replace the alignment in the password with a different one (Neutral or Chaos as appropriate) gives a different Fake.

They each have Watchful for passive EXP gain, and they each have a single target stat debuff.

Airstrike, by the way, makes Demonica-N the worst base demon for offense. It's unique to this guy in every way, as all these Gun skills are, but it's just Needle Assault (MT gun, base power of 75) but with reduced accuracy AND it costs more than twice as much. Fuck Airstrike.



Demonica-C is at least double fancy for having an instant death attack and being the Black Samurai a member of Jack's Squad. Sure, why not.



Skipping way, way ahead to level 20+, we can use three more now. Replace the alignment with Bugaboo and we can see Jimenez's buddy!



Bugaboo is, uh, really boring. I get the impression that Jimenez didn't keep him around for his combat prowess.



There are also slightly different Bugaboos with a different first vowel. They're also really kind of boring.



None of them are even recolours or anything! The most interesting thing about them is that the three Boos all give Preparedness on their Source which makes them the earliest way to get it at all, AND the earliest fixed Source with it with Sleipnir as the next one.

Speaking of Sleipnir, we're gonna skip aaaaaall the way ahead to Grus. Zelenin just did the mind control song on Ryan and co. and Grendel wants us to finish the job.

Chaos Theme



We gotta pick a side between murdering Ryan and letting Zelenin sing.



Or we can just say fuck that and fight Grendel. Let's take this third option that the game never actually tells you about but clunkily hints at, like twice.



Understood. This choice may well result in successful completion of the mission.
Your decision is approved.
Aha... then it's a fight you want!



You are the same as the others... Still human. The cursed species!
You will be the first ot be torn to shreds in our march of revenge!

An Honor Befitting That Name



Sorry, Grendel, but I'm not playing even remotely fairly with you. Out of the three demons I'm using to speed through filler, Seraph is the worst one! And he has Big Bang!

Grendel is a Grendel but with more HP. That's basically it for him.



Shiva's (Level 91) around for two-fold reasons. He starts with both Victory Cry AND the one skill that competes with Riot Gun for top-billing (and ultimately loses because it's Almighty) AND his Source gives it guaranteed. I want that source.

Vishnu (Level 86) innately reflects Phys and Gun. And starts with Megidolaon. And Riot Gun. I don't think I need to say anything else here.

Neither would see actual serious use in a normal playthrough, really. Realistically, anything above level 75... call it 80 at a VERY HIGH push might as well be NG+ exclusive for all the difference it doesn't make.

Chaos Theme



> The demon disappeared.

> Without the demon's power, the door is no longer sealed...

Now we can do the dungeon crawl-y bit of Grus, go beat up Maya, have lots of long talks about things, go to Horologium, head on down to B9F, meet Gore outside and take him back to the Red Sprite for one last time.

Silence



With all you've seen and learned about the Schwarzwelt...
I have to know whether you're up to the job of risking your life to save mankind.

The End



Since we're Neutral, Gore doesn't immediately get pissy and attack us. He asks us questions only when we can get the Neutral path. Answering wrong gives us Law or Chaos again.



That's pretty dumb!

As you may know, it is possible here to become like a demon by imbibing demonic power.
Would you host a demon in yourself?
I wouldn't.
...Then let me ask you this, Alger.



Now you have been given a chance to reclaim that peace by singing the song of the god of light.
Will you sing God's eternal praise?
I won't.
I see. Then I'll ask one final question of you.



On the one side, we have the demons of chaos, bursting with power.
On the other, a god trying to impose his law and order.
Both want nothing more than to get their hands on the power hidden within the Schwarzwelt...
So that they may lay claim to the Earth.



Think hard on which future you want for mankind.
When you've made your choice, tell me who you'd entrust with the fate of all humanity.
Think very carefully, Crewman Alger, before answering...
Who would you entrust the future to?
The human race.



...Ha! That's a good one.

Great hardships await you on the path you've chosen to follow.
But I want you to remember the way you feel now... I want you to remember that determination.

Morale





And in order to do that, we'll need a special tool...



...the fuck?

Arthur, this is the best way for the sake of humanity.
Do it. You'll need to, for the next step.



Now it's time I said goodbye, Alger.



I've reached the limit that a corpse can sustain.
That's why I'm leaving everything up to Arthur... and to you.
Take this, Alger. To your body and soul... my power...



This doesn't make us any stronger or give us any unique skills or anything.



This is all it does. Mem Aleph won't be an Unknown later. Boring.

You must defeat her... Everything depends on it...
Now... farewell. I must... disappear... no... return...



Silence



The Commander... he vanished...

Sorrow

He came all the way here... to tell us his plan to save mankind...
His will was so strong, it overcame death itself...
We'll upload that will, Commander. Just you watch.







Now commencing dissemination of this data to all hands. Stand by to receive new orders.

Malevolence and Benevolence



This new and final plan has been constructed based on the knowledge provided by Commander Gore.
Commander Gore's last hope...



A high-energy detonation within the Schwarzwelt should remove it from the face of the Earth.



The Joint Project's assault didn't do anything, and they had a lot more megatonnage than we will!
Yeah, what is this "high-energy detonation" you're talking about? We don't have anything like that!
Destruction of the Schwarzwelt may seem impossible based on current observations.



A "high-energy solution"...? What are you getting at?
The following theory was developed primarily on the information from Commander Gore.
While wandering the Schwarzwelt, Commander Gore discovered the existence of high-energy matter.



These Cosmic Eggs have enough energy to create and/or swallow an entire space-time continuum.



Plan Omega is to take this energy for our own puroses and use it to destroy the Schwarzwelt.
The demons want it to create a world, and we need it to destroy one, eh...?
I'm starting to think this might actually work.



It works on the same principle as a detonator in a nuclear warhead.
As yet, we have not found an energy source on the scale we need.



He came back with everything already prepared...
So, where is this detonation energy?





No, really, what the fuck? What kind of realistically predictable emergency would necessitate having a nuclear warhead to use?

This would honestly be way more believable if it was on the Lightning and not the Gigantic.

We will use that warhead as our detonator.
What...!? We went charging into the Schwarzwelt with a nuke on board...!?
This project was scarier than I knew...
Ironic, huh? The nuke we brought in as a scorched-earth solution ends up our last hope at survival.





His findings indicate that there are a total of four Cosmic Eggs in the Schwarzwelt.



You are tasked with obtaining the following: the Gigantic's nuclear warhead and the four Cosmic Eggs.
I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Bomb Materials Retrieval."
As far as processing the Cosmic Eggs and nuclear warhead...
We will use the lab's matter synthesize to create the Schwarzwelt bomb.
...It won't be easy. We'll have to search the whole Schwarzwelt to find all this stuff.
But as long as it gives us even a glimmer of hope, count me in.



At present, you have two main objectives.
The first is Plan Omega.
The second is to obtain the Exotic Matter in Mem Aleph's possession.
I leave it to your judgement which mission to carry out first.
Do not forget that we must also analyze the forma Commander Gore left us.
Go to the lab to have the forma analyzed.
I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

Prayer



Like last time we didn't side with Mem Aleph, the elevator is broken so we don't get to pick & choose our order of events. Ah well, let's see what the crew thinks anyway.

But I'm on the Ops team, and it's my duty to carry out his will now that he's gone.
Plan Omega... Let's do this. Whatever it takes...
By the way... about those Cosmic Eggs. We picked up some strange readings in a few sectors.
The four sectors we got readings from were Antlia, Bootes, Carina, and Delphinus.
But we can't pinpoint their origins, so you won't find them on yur automap.
If you want to find them, you'll have to make full use of your Demonica's functions.



We'll most likely see some heavy opposition from the angels and demons, but we've got a chance...
This is probably going to be our last mission together as the Schwarzwelt investigative team.
Let's make it a good one.



Instead of going back to Earth in this little stasis capsule...
Better that he disappear without a trace, leaving his name and deeds to live forever in history.
That's... the kind of man he was...



It's just as Commander Gore said. My father is sick.
The doctors can't figure out what's wrong, so we can't treat him... I'd half given up.
But after hearing what Commander Gore said, I decided to believe...
I believe that two years from now, they'll find that cure, and I'll see my father healthy again.
It can't end here... I won't give up.
Let's defeat Mem Aleph and destroy the Schwarzwelt.
Let's all go home together!



Well, hell, we can't go and fail now, can we?
Now go out and get some forma! We'll have ourselves a grand ol' fight with angels AND demons!



To be able to prepare something so drastic... The Commander really was a special man.
We must act on the wisdom he left with us.
I think it's our obligation as humans.



We've almost reached our main objective...
Like I told you before, we can do anything!
And I'll be supporting you to the very end.
Good luck!

Alright, so now we're gonna get the Eggs done again. There's nothing of note up until the actual chambers so we'll just skip right to Antlia's Egg room.

Chaos Theme





Say, uh, Wu Kong... never mind.

I'm not gonna let you stand in the way of our demon world! Die!



Sorry, Wu Kong you're not going to get a chance to do anything. Tragic, isn't it?



Next we'll be skipping Bootes for now. That's where the Gigantic is, so that gives us the Nuclear Warhead as well as the Egg. So, Carina!



Notably, aside from Wu Kong randomly misgendering Jimenez, none of the dialogue here is different from the Law route.



So we hit Zhu Yin with the beginning of the universe and he crumples.



This also lets us know something I'm sure you were definitely curious about. The Egg numbers are based on the sector, not collection order.



Delphinus gives us the same dialogue as the Chaos route here.



Which means that Cherub also gets fought, and promptly crumples.



This just leaves Yatagarasu at the Gigantic in Bootes.

Silence



> There is no sign of its crew and it doesn't seem to be running.



No reason to leave, so I don't get why this is even a choice.





Law Theme



...Can't say I was expecting to see Zelenin here. Huh. That's different.

The resulting energy of which would destroy the Schwarzwelt...
But the Cosmic Eggs have a greater purpose. They must be used to forge the world our Lord desires.
I cannot forgive a man who stands in the way of His plan.



It is a pity you did not realize the way to salvation, Alger.

No, no, it's cool Seraph has that spell.

You still believe in the majesty of humans, don't you?
And that your actions are noble and good...
But in the end, the truth will out.



No work of human hands can be said to be whole.



I will harness the life consumed by the judgement to weave a new melody...
Your life in the Schwarzwelt, this land covered by the shadow of death...
It will be made eternal as a verse in my hymn.
As a warning against pride, to those who would be tempted by the path of destruction...

Judge Zelenin

Holy Miracle



So, uh, Zelenin... She's pretty similar here to at the end of the Chaos route.



She COULD do this then as well, but adamantly refused to do so for some reason.



It's just Luster Candy but with an added Diarama for minor inconvenience.



Her moveset is completely identical to before, too, save for no inclusion of Requiem.



...But she finally managed to Charm someone with Sinner's Song. Good job, Zelenin!



Anyway, she's a simple fight but playing like it's fresh she takes a bit of a while. Not Gore levels of lengthy, but she can get up there.

She has 7700 HP, reflects Elec, resists Gun and is weak to Wind.

End

Sorrow



This form... and my actions... these, I do not regret...



O Lord... forgive... your servant...
......







Well, getting that right now sure is different.



And it's Mastema for good measure. We got two bosses in a row again? Let's go!

...Do not look at us that way. We will not fight you.
Our duty is to carry out the Lord's will.
Unlike humans, we will live for eternity.



I advise you do what you can with your time left on this earth...!

Malevolence and Benevolence



I have confirmed your collection of all the bomb's materials. Your mission is thus complete.
We have achieved useful results in our investigation of Horologium.
Please return to the ship.



The crew's efforts on Horologium have produced results.
The Maintenance crew's tireless work has succeeded in repairing the elevator on the first floor.



Alger, we followed your lead and put our lives on the line for this job.
Of course, we couldn't have done it without Arthur's support and the strike team's escort, either.
We're making it through by helping each other... I tell you, I've never worked with a better team.



Allow me to review...
To destroy the Schwarzwelt and escape, we require teh final Exotic Matter Mem Aleph possesses.



Use the repaired elevator on 1F of Horologium and proceed to Mem Aleph's position.
Do not engage. We will determine our chances of victory after reconnaissance.

I already know our chances of victory: 100%!

But before that, though, we need to go back to Grus. Metatron(-facsimile) did have a job for us to do after all...